


lions and tigers and bears, and then some

by lotts (LottieAnna)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Zoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-23 23:46:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14343501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LottieAnna/pseuds/lotts
Summary: Chase plays hockey and really likes animals. All animals. Especially zoo animals.And the zoo, generally.And maybe... one zookeeper, in particular.





	lions and tigers and bears, and then some

**Author's Note:**

> if you or someone you know is mentioned in this, please click away. this is a work of fiction and everything in here is fake and a lie!!! 
> 
> thanks to a and r for reading this super quick! this exists because these two are cute and because [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEhTmETAt9A) is the most chase de leo song in the world.

For the record, Chase really does like animals. 

“Hmmm,” Brendan says skeptically. 

“What?” Chase says. “I do.” 

“Plenty of people like animals,” Brendan says. “I don’t know anyone who goes to the zoo as often as you do.” 

“I guess I like animals more than anyone else you know,” Chase says. 

“Well, you definitely like the zoo more than anyone else I know,” Brendan says, and then he wags his eyebrows. “You definitely like certain zookeepers—”

“Shut up,” Chase says quickly, and he really wishes he wasn’t blushing, but there’s only so much he can do. “It’s not like that.” 

“It’s totally like that, actually, but whatever,” Brendan says, and Chase smacks the back of his head, because it’s what he deserves.

 

Look. 

Hockey is stressful, okay, and as far as coping mechanisms go, the zoo is a pretty reasonable one. It’s mostly harmless, and like, sure, his game and practice schedule don’t exactly line up with typical zoo hours, but Chase has, like, connections. 

“I still can’t believe you drink out of that thing,” Eric says, as Chase walks up to him, sipping water from an old souvenir cup. 

“It’s been washed,” Chase says. 

“You found it in the trash—” 

“We’ve been over this, I found it on a bench,  _ near  _ a trash can, there’s a difference,” Chase says. “The straw wasn’t even chewed, it was practically brand-new.” 

“Disgusting,” Eric says, but he’s laughing. 

“Yeah, well,” Chase says, “you’re still here, so.” 

“It’s my job to be here,” Eric says. “That I’m risking, for someone who uses old garbage cups.” 

“I ran it through the dishwasher three times.” 

“I’m pretty sure it’s not dishwasher safe,” Eric says. 

“Yeah, that’s why the logo is starting to fade, but I like to think it adds character,” Chase says. 

“Character,” Eric echoes, and then he shakes his head. “So, what brings you here tonight?” 

“Just wanted to catch up with my favorite friends,” Chase says, holding out his arms to gesture to the surrounding animals. 

“They’re not nocturnal,” Eric says. “They’re asleep. Which you should be, too.” 

“I’ve got a long bus ride tomorrow, I’ll sleep then,” Chase says. 

“Ah,” Eric says. “How long are you guys gonna be away for?” 

“The rest of the week, probably,” Chase says. 

“So you’re here to say goodbye?” Eric says. “To the animals, of course.” 

“Yes,” Chase says, and then he turns and nods at the nearby tiger cage. “Goodbye, animals.” 

“I think they like it when you stop by,” Eric says. 

“Even if I could get their favorite zookeeper fired?” 

“I’m not gonna get fired,” Eric says, and then, after a second’s hesitation, he says, “How do you know I’m their favorite?” 

“Well, you’re my favorite, so,” Chase says. 

Eric blushes. “Oh.” 

“Yeah,” Chase says, a little awkward. 

“Because I let you in here late at night, you mean?” 

Chase bites his lip. “Sure, let’s go with that,” he says. “So, uh, I’m assuming I missed the late-night lion cub feeding?” 

“I’m telling you, that’s really not a thing,” Eric says. 

“And I’m telling you, I don’t believe you, because I’m a man who holds onto his dreams,” Chase says, and Eric laughs, and the tension in the air fades away, a little bit. “But I, uh—I really will miss them for these next few days.” 

“Well, stop by again when you’re back in town,” Eric says. 

“Oh, I totally will,” Chase says. “But I was just thinking—it’s 2018, I can text, right?” 

Eric blinks at him. “They’re animals,” he says slowly. “They don’t have phones.” 

“No, yeah, I know,” Chase says quickly, even though there’s a large chance Eric’s just teasing him. “But—you do. Right?”  

“Oh,” he says, and then he straightens up. “Oh! Yeah, yeah, I do.” 

“Cool,” Chase says. “So I was thinking that I could maybe, uh—get your number?” 

“You—want my number,” Eric says. 

Chase scratches the back of his neck. “I mean, if that’s okay?” 

“Yeah, it’s totally okay,” Eric says. “Really okay, super okay—” 

“Okay,” Chase says, and they both laugh, matching nervous chuckles that abate and agitate the butterflies in Chase’s stomach.

 

// 

 

“Yo,” Brendan says, “Earth to Chase?” 

Chase tears his eyes away from the stands; he should really be using warm-ups to, like, warm up, but still. He’d been… hopeful, or something, and now he’s a little disappointed. 

“Yeah, sorry,” he says. “I was just—looking for someone.” 

“What, did you finally get the courage to invite your zoo boy to a game?” Brendan asks, smiling. 

Chase doesn’t say anything, and Brendan’s smile fades as Chase’s face goes hot with humiliation. 

“Oh, shit,” Brendan says. “I didn’t realize—”

“It’s whatever, it’s not like—like, I didn’t ask him out, or anything,” Chase says. “I just set aside some tickets for him, whatever, it was stupid.” 

“I’m sorry,” Brendan says, giving Chase a sympathetic smile, but Chase just shrugs it off and keeps warming up, focusing on the game and trying to keep his mind off of anything related to zookeeping. 

He’s mildly successful, but, whatever. He’s played through worse feelings than this.

As he’s getting off the ice, he sees a flash of someone running down to the glass, roughly the size of a tall, lanky grown man, and he pretends, for the sake of the game, that it’s Eric, rushing down to try and catch a glimpse of the team before the game starts. 

 

As he finds out later, he wasn’t too far off. 

_ im so sorry,  _ the text reads.  _ i was kept late at work because a monkey had babies so i had to overstay my shift to close off the exhibit.  _

Chase stares at the phone for a second before tapping out a response.  _ did u get any pictures of the baby monkeys? _

_ no :(,  _ Eric sends back. 

_ then ur not forgiven :P,  _ Chase says, smiling as he types.  _ guess ur gonna have to make it up to me tn  _

_ how?  _ Eric asks, and then, after a second,  _ haha.  _

_ buy me a post-game treat?  _

_ thought u would wanna hang out with ur team after the win,  _ Eric says.  _ esp ur goal.  _

As if on cue, Nic says, “Yo, Chase, you on for drinks tonight?” 

“Uh,” Chase says, then looks down at his phone, and types out,  _ i’d rather pass on that tn.  _ “Nah, I think I have other plans.” 

“Please tell me you’re not gonna go to the zoo to mope over penalties,” Nic says. 

From across the room, Brendan shoots Chase a concerned look, but Chase just smiles. 

“Not quite,” he says. “Also, there are apparently newborn monkeys at the zoo, so I doubt it’s a really mopey place right now.” 

“Baby monkeys?” Nic says, and Chase nods. 

“Sick, right?” 

“So why aren’t you heading there?” Brendan asks, walking up to them. 

“The guy I know who works nights there is off tonight,” Chase says. 

“And you know this because…” Brendan says, and, like, the truth is, Chase just happens to know what nights he can swing free zoo admission, but he figures he can have some fun with this.

“Well, he’s here, for one,” Chase says, which earns him a flurry of high fives. 

 

“You know,” Eric says, “I would’ve been happy to, like, buy you a real drink.” 

Chase takes a sip and shrugs. “Wasn’t in the mood, I guess. I haven’t had a slurpee in forever.” 

“Does it live up to the hype?” 

“Oh yeah,” Chase says. “I didn’t realize they had 7-Eleven in Canada when I first moved here.”

“Yeah, I feel that. My family moved to the States when I was a kid, and I was so upset they didn’t have Tim Hortons,” Eric says. 

“Where in the States?” 

“California.” 

“That’s where I’m from,” Chase says, perking up. “Small world.” 

“Of course you are,” Eric says, smirking. 

“What does that mean?” 

“You just—have a very California vibe,” Eric says. “Like, at any second, you could bring up In-n-Out, or surfing, or something.” 

“Is that all California is to you? A bunch of In-n-Out’s on the beach?” 

“And traffic,” Eric says. 

Chase chuckles. “Fair enough.” 

Eric mashes his straw around in the drink before he takes another sip. “So, why did you wanna come here, anyway?” 

“When I was younger, it was like, the place we went Friday nights, or whatever,” Chase says. “I went to one after my prom. One of my buddies had a flask, and he spiked our slurpees, so we all sat on the sidewalk in like, tuxes, and it was this super cheesy indie rom-com moment.” He shrugs. “I think of it as a romantic place, I guess.” 

Eric’s silent for a second. “Would you say it’s more or less romantic than the zoo?” 

“Depends on who I’m with,” Chase says, and then he forces himself to look at Eric. “I’d say they’re pretty comparable, though.” 

Eric smiles, staring down at his drink. “Good to know.” 

 

//

 

“You know,” Eric says, the first time he’s in Chase’s kitchen. He’s wearing Chase’s shirt, an old Red Hot Chili Peppers tee that he owns ironically, even if Eric doesn’t believe him. “I used to be a goalie.” 

“I think I knew that,” Chase says. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah,” Chase says. “I think it came up, like, the first time I went to the zoo.” 

“Oh,” Eric says. “Well, I was good.” 

“I’m sure,” Chase says. “But I’m glad you’re a zookeeper.” 

“For late night access?”

“Well, yeah,” Chase says. “And daytime access, too. I got to feed a sloth.” 

“I remember, you bring it up a lot.” 

“It was  _ awesome.”  _

“Maybe you should’ve been the zookeeper,” Eric says. “And I could’ve been the hockey player breaking into the zoo at night.” 

“Maybe,” Chase says. “I’m just glad we found each other.” 

“You’re such a sap.” 

“You’re into it.” 

Eric shrugs. “Yeah.” 

Chase looks at him for a second, then smiles. “So,” he says, “want a ride to work?” 

“So you can see the animals?” 

“So I can spend more time with you,” Chase says. 

Eric raises his eyebrows. 

“Okay, and a little bit so I can see the animals,” Chase says.

“There it is,” Eric says. 

“Mostly you, though,” Chase says, and Eric rolls his eyes, but he pulls him in for a kiss, so Chase assumes he likes it.

**Author's Note:**

> (i'm leaving this on anon for a while but i have blanket permission to transform any of my transformative works in the form of podfic, fanart, stories based off this story, etc. on the off chance that anyone is so inclined. that applies to this one as well, so no need to ask permission, do what you will! i only ask that you drop a link here so i can see it)


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